Viscera and head in



May 19, 1925.

A. O. LUNDELL VISCERA AND HEAD INSPECTION TABLE Original Filed May 20, 1922 J 00 1 0 0 0 I oo ac rue oo 00 co co oo 00 M 00 n oo= 0o oo o o 00 E l on u o 5 //O[0 00 mm 1 005 v co co 8 00 1 (00 0 W oo 00 7 6 on no: 00 00" 00 0.0 I. a 5 6 6 in isolated compartments of a'conveyor and Reissued May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES ,PATENTOFFI-CE.

ALVIN o. LUNDELL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR T run ALLBRIGHT-NELL 60.,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VISCERA AND HEAD INSPECTION TABLE.

Original No. 1,445,632, dated February 20, 1923, Serial No. 562,560, filed May 20, 1922. Application for reissue filed. February 5,1925. Serial No. 7,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN O. LUNDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, 5 have invented new and useful Improvements in Viscera and Head Inspection Tables, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for inspecting visceraand heads of freshly killed animals. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to improved methods of inspecting carcasses, viscera and heads of freshly killed animals, especially useful in packing houses where the rate of slaughter is relatively slow.

It has been the prior practice in inspecting freshly killed animals where the rate of slaughter is relatively high, to eviscerate the carcasses, and partially sever the heads therefrom. The viscera are then deposited conveyed through an inspection space in predetermined relation to the respective car- I casses from which they havebeen removed through the inspection space.

The conveyor compartments are sterilized thoroughly after each use, and the animal parts are rapidly and efficiently inspected,

I o infected parts are rejected, andno contamination of healthy by diseased parts occur.. The rate of handling carcasses in this nianner is such that different inspectors are usually required to examine the heads and carcasses, and the viscera. "This prior method of handling carcasses is especially adapted for use in large establishments, but where the rate of slaughter is lower, the cost of inspection becomes relativelyhigh and a large number of smaller packingh-ouses will not install such inspection units.

Anotherprior method of inspectionutilized in smaller establishments is to deposit the heads and viscera on a stationary table for inspection. This method is .ineflicient and unsanitary, but permitsone inspector to inspect the animal parts.

In my improved method and apparatus, a separate compartment in which the heads may be deposited, is added to each viscera compartment of the'well known movable conveyor or inspection tables above mentioned. The viscera and heads are removed from the carcasses deposited inv the related and which are carried on overhead conveyors;

, head conveyors or otherwise. One inspector can then efiiciently handle the parts to be inspected, and the sanitary operation of the prior movable inspection tables may be at tained. By utilizing my improved method and apparatus, more economical and sanitary inspection is effected.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device whereby the viscera and the head of a carcass after being reinspection. I

A further object of the invention is to provide each of the compartments of a movmoved are adapted to be carried along for able inspectiontable with receptacles adapted to hold theremoved heads of carcasses to permit inspection of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provideeach of the compartments of a movable inspection table with a holder for carrying the removed'head of a carcass along with a viscera removed from the samev carcass. It is an important object of this invention to provide a simple and effective movable endless inspection table wherein the head and the viscera of the same carcass are carried along simultaneously past an inspecto be "used.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of an inspection table embodying the principle of this invention. I I

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail section taken on line, 33 of Fig. 1. 4

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of one of the head receptacles showing a head seated therein.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of the conveyor.

As shown on the drawings:

The inspection table comprises a supporting frame 1 having transverse shafts 2 journalled in suitable bearings near the ends of said frame. Keyed or otherwise secured onone projecting end of one of the shafts 2 is a sprocket wheel 3 adapted to be driven by means of an endless chain 4: which is trained around a driving sprocket wheel 5. The sprocket wheel is driven by a motor 6 and a gear set 6 which are connected together and mounted upon the frame 1 near one end of the table. A sprocket pinion 7 is mounted on a stub shaft 8 supported on the frame 1 in a position to permit the sprocket pinion 7 to tension the chain 4. I

Secured on each of the shafts 2 are sprocket wheels 9 around which conveyor chains 10 are trained. The chains 10 are provided withroll'ers 11 which are adapted to run on guide tracks or rails 12' secured longitudinall on the supporting frame 1. Attached transversely of the chains 10 are a plurality of flat flights, .slats or cleats 13 provided at both ends with integral outwardly turned flanges 1d.- The slats 13 form a movable endless inspection table having, compartments formed thereon by means of flanges which are rigidly secured to or integrally formed on certain of said slats 18 to form transverse partitions or plates 15'. Parallel guide rails or tracks 16 are mounted on the frame uprights. To support the lower run of the endless inspection table, certain of the slats 13*and 13 have mounted at the ends of' the inner surfaces thereof guide rollers 17 which are adapted to track on the rails 16.

The inspection table divided into compartments each adapted to receive anindivid-ua'l viscera. Formed in one corner of each table compartment is a holder or receptacle 19 adapted to receive and hold the removed head'ofa carcass. Each holder 1-9 is provided with a bottom opening 20 to permit the snout of a removed carcass head- 21 to project therethrough as illustrated in Fig. 1. The viscera from the same carcass is deposited in the respective compartment ofwhich the head holder forms a part.

The operation is as follows:

The inspection device embraces the endless conveyor or table which is divided into compartments each adapted to receive an in dividual carcass viscera removed by an eviscerator from a carcass carried along by an overhead conveyor (not shown). The eviscerated viscera is deposited in one of'the table compartments opposite the moving carcass from which it has been removed. The eviscerator or other employee also remove moves the head from the respective carcass and deposits said head in the holder or re ceptacle 19 mounted in the corner of the compartment carrying the viscera of said carcass.

The viscera and head of a moving carcass are carried along opposite or adjacent the carcass from which they have been removed. The associated viscera and head of a particular carcass are thus carried past an inspector who stands beside the traveling table and inspects not only the, viscera but the head as well.- If both the viscera and the head are free from disease or other objections, they are passed on 'tobe discharged. If, however; a viscera is found to be diseased, it is tagged or otherwise identified as is also the respectivel iead and the carcass. Should the viscera be free from disease, the corresponding head, carried in the compartmenthead holder 19', is inspected to ascertain whether or not there are any signs of disease in the head. If the headis diseased, it is tagged as may also be the respective viscera and the carcass. It will thus be seen that both the viscera and head of a particular tion of healthy by diseased parts can occur by contacting or otherwise. as each part is deposited in a separate and individual compartment.

It will; of course be understood that the head holders 19 may be of any desired shape or construction and may be mounted in any convenient place in a compartment other than the location shown and described.

Iain aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this inventiom and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwisethan necessitated the prior art.

I claim as my irwentionzv I t. The combination with a movable vis cera inspecting table, of means thereon for dividing the table into compartments, and head holders on said table in said compartments.

2. An inspection device comprising an endless table, means for driving the same,

' members on said table for dividing the tableinto compartments for receiving viscera, and

a receptacle for each of said compartments for receiving the removed head of the same carcass from which the viscera in the respective compartment has been removed.

3. The combination with a visceracinspection table, of carcass head holders secured thereon to permit the viscera and the head removed from a particular carcass to be associatedwith ea'clr other for inspection.

4. An inspection device comprising endlli 11 opening in each of transverse slats flanged less chains, means for driving the same, a plurality of flanged slats secured to'said chains to form a table, plates secured to certain of said slats to divide the table into viscera receiving compartments, and a carcass head receptacle secured to certain of the slats of each compartment.

5. An inspection device comprising a movable endless table embracing a plurality outwardly at both ends, flanges on certain of said slats to divide the table into viscera compartments, and a head holder secured in each of said compartments and opening through the table to permit the snout of a removed carcass head to project therethrough.

6. An inspection device comprising. a movable endless table embracing a plurality of transverse flights flanged outwardly at both ends, opening therein, a partition secured to each of the flights having an openingtherein, said partitions dividing the table into compartments, and a head holder around the of the flights having an opening therein.

'7. An inspection device of the class-described comprising a movable endless table having openings therein, means for dividing the table into separated compartments so that eachcompartment will include one of the openings, and a holder in each compartment around the opening therein.

a 8. The combination with an inspection table divided into viscera receiving compartments, of a head holder in each of said compartmentsf 9. An inspection table'having two sets of compartments, one set disposed within the i other whereby the viscera and heads of car casses may be associated with one another.

; The method of handling freshly killed animals which comprises severing theheads and removing the viscera from the. carcasses; conveying or moving the eviscerated tive heads and certain of said flights having an.

. may

tion with respect anddecapitatedcarcasses and their respece tive heads and viscera through an inspection space in substantial proximity to each other so that the related carcasses, heads and viscera may be readily identified; and isolating each viscera and each head-from each other and from the other viscera and heads while passing through the inspection space.

11. The method of handling freshly killed animals which comprises severing the heads and removing the viscera from the carcasses; conveying or moving the decapitated and eviscerated viscera in substantial proximity to each other so that the related carcasses, heads and viscera may be readily identified; and each head from all other animal parts while eing conveyed or moved so that the viscera and heads may' be handled individually without causing contamination of healthy by diseased parts through contacting, leakage of blood or juices and the like.

12. Apparatus for handling and inspecting freshly killed animals which comprises an endless conveyor with isolating compartments in which the viscera of the animals be deposited, carried along in relatively close, predetermined, and fixed relacarcasses and their 'respecisolating each viscera and with other animal parts or juices therefrom;

ALVIN O. LUNDELL.

animals may be deposited, 

